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Vessel builders are ramped up for strong demand from the Gulf of Mexico, where oil drilling is very soon expect- ed to return to pre-Macondo levels. Utilization rates for offshore vessels are rising in the GoM, along with asso- ciated dayrates. Three Louisiana leaders--Edison Chouest Offshore in Cut Off, Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. in Covington and Harvey Gulf International Marine in New Orleans--are engaged in aggressive newbuild programs. Next year should be particularly busy for the Gulf oil and gas sector, company executives say. CHOUESTS MORE THAN 40 NEWBUILDS ARE MOSTLY FOR THE GOMPrivately-held Chouest announced plans in July to ex- pand its ? eet and terminal facilities. Chouests newbuild order book contains more than 40 vessels to be produced mainly at its four southern U.S.-af? liate shipyards, along with its Navship yard in Brazil. ?Delivery times on most of these vessels will be over the next two to three years,? Lon- nie Thibodeaux, spokesman for Chouest said last month. The majority of these vessels ? and certainly those built in Houma and Larose, Louisiana and in Gulfport, Mississippi and Tampa, Florida ? will be for Gulf of Mexico service.? In terms of our biggest presence, the GOM remains our largest market,? Thibodeaux said. The Brazilian market continues to be very strong for us, too.? Chouest Offshore evolved from a two-vessel shrimping operation in the 1950s into a marine giant that builds, owns and operates vessels, with over 9,700 employees worldwide. Chouests newbuild program includes 17 platform supply vessels or PSVs, with options for an additional twenty, in a class of 312 x 66 x 26 new-generation, clean design, diesel-electric PSVs. Chouest also plans to build four subsea construction ves- sels, slated to work the GOM. Features include Remotely Operated Vehicles or ROVs from Chouest af? liate C-Inno- vation, along with 400 MT AHC deepwater cranes. C-Innovation, started in 2007, provides a range of ROV services from subsea construction to ? eld development, engi- neering and project management. Other Chouest newbuilds include one 314, 1.5 mil- Ongoing infrastructure and newbuild activity not expected to let up. Modern, sophisticated and quality tonnage arrives at just the right time. By Susan Buchanan Offshore Service Providers Drive Robust GoM Boom Offshore Service Providers Drive Robust GoM Boom September 201352 MNMN Sept2013 Layout 50-65.indd 528/29/2013 4:50:47 PM
